US20080034485A1

US20080034485A1 - Disposable toilet hugger

Info

Publication number: US20080034485A1
Application number: US11/834,661
Authority: US
Inventors: Kathleen McClelland
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-08-09
Filing date: 2007-08-06
Publication date: 2008-02-14

Abstract

The invention is directed to a disposable toilet hugger for the easy collection and disposal of urine and moisture spills and drips that occur around the base of a toilet. The apparatus consists of a plurality of non-porous base materials with an absorbent material mounted to the top of each base material. A user places a stack of these materials around the base of a toilet. When the absorbent material gets contaminated with urine or other spills, a user grabs a pull tab and removes and disposes of the top absorbent material and non-porous base layer, thereby exposing anew, unsoiled absorbent material for the next spill.

Description

This application claims the benefits of 60/821,948, filed Aug. 9, 2006.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a disposable absorbent material with a non-porous backing to be placed at the base of a toilet in order to catch urine misses, spills, drips and the like for a clean, odor free condition.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With the advent of indoor plumbing came the indoor bathroom, typically comprising a bathtub and/or shower, a sink, mirror, medicine cabinet and a toilet. Most toilets in use today consist of a receptacle bowl with a seat and lid, and a water holding tank. After an individual deposits their bodily wastes into the receptacle bowl, the toilet is then flushed by operating a lever on the holding tank which allows the water in the tank to drain into the receptacle bowl and away into the septic or sewer system. A float system within the holding tank then allows cold water to refill the holding tank for the next usage.
The cold water that fills the holding tank is typical in the fifty (50) to sixty (60) degrees Fahrenheit range. As such, as the cold water fills the holding tank, it chills the holding tank. As the air in the bathroom is typically warmer than the cold water, the humidity in the air condenses on the tank and bowl causing the tank to “sweat”. This results in water dripping down to the base of the toilet. This condition is further exacerbated when a person utilizes the bathtub or shower for cleaning themselves as additional moisture is added to the bathroom air which then condenses on the tank and bowl quicker. This moist and warm environment is an ideal breeding ground for unwanted germs and bacteria.
In addition, children and adults that are easily distracted, have poor aim, or have medical or neurological disabilities can, and do, miss the bowl when they are urinating, thereby leaving urine on the floor next to the toilet bowl. While there exists traditional rubber or plastic backed rug style bath mats and toilet bowl surrounds, these can hide the drips and misses until the user notices the smell of urine or mold in the bathroom. This in turn necessitates the washing of the surrounds and mats and the scrubbing and cleaning of the bathroom floor. If the area is neglected for long periods of time, the combination of urine, water and warm air proves a fertile area for bacteria, germ and mold growth
Thus, what is needed is a more immediate, simpler and cost effective means for means for cleaning up urine drips, misses, spills and water condensation on the floor surrounding the toilet.

OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of this invention to keep the area at the base of the toilet in a clean, odor-free and sanitary condition in-between cleaning cycles.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a quick and effortless way to keep the area at the base of the toilet clean, odor-free and in a sanitary condition.
It is still a further object of this invention to provide a very cost effective way to keep the area at the base of the toilet in a clean, odor-free and sanitary condition.
These objects can be accomplished with a plurality of stacked disposable absorbent papers shaped to fit around the base of a toilet, similar to the existing toilet rugs. The back side of each absorbent paper being lined with a wax, plastic or other non-porous material to prevent any liquid from passing through the top absorbent paper to the next lower absorbent paper. The absorbent paper can include a deodorizing agent and/or biocide.
In use, an individual would place the stack of absorbent papers at the base of the toilet. When a user drips or misses and urine falls onto the top absorbent paper, or when water condensate drips onto the absorbent paper, the individual simply grabs a tab on the top absorbent paper, pulls the soiled sheet free, thereby exposing a new unsoiled absorbent sheet, and disposes of the soiled sheet in the garbage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some of the objects and advantages of this invention have been set forth, other advantages and details of this invention and a preferred embodiment thereof may be seen from the more detailed description to follow, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention as depicted in use around a toilet;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a single layer of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 4 is a side planar view of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, one embodiment of the multilayered disposable toilet hugger 1 is depicted surrounding the base of a toilet 2. The toilet 2 consists of bowl 3, a tank 4, a toilet seat 5, a toilet seat lid 6, a cold water inlet tube 7 and a flush handle 8.
FIG. 2 depicts a single layer of the multilayered disposable toilet hugger 1. A single layer of the multilayered disposable toilet hugger consists of a base layer 9. The base layer 9 being made of a non-porous material such as plastic, rubber, wax paper or the like to prevent any liquids falling on the disposable toilet hugger 1 from passing through the non-porous base layer 9. Attached to the top side of the base layer 9 is a disposable absorbent material 10 such as absorbent cotton, absorbent cloth, absorbent paper such as is utilized in panty liners, disposable diapers or the like. The absorbent material 10 deodorizing agents or biocides impregnated in the absorbent material 10 in order to reduce or manage odors and contaminants such as mold or the like. The top surface of the absorbent material 10 can be textured or patterned for an esthetic appearance if desired. In addition, the absorbent material 10 can be colored in a multitude of colors in order to provide an esthetic appearance suitable for the decorated colors of the bathroom the disposable toilet hugger 1 is to be utilized in.
As shown in FIG. 2, the disposable toilet hugger 1 has a cutout 11 for the base of the toilet 2 and an opening slot 12 at the rear of the disposable toilet hugger 1 that allows a user to easily wrap the disposable toilet hugger 1 around the base of a toilet 2. The disposable toilet hugger 1 includes a pull tab 13.
FIG. 3 depicts a disposable toilet hugger 1 having a non-porous base layer 9, an absorbent material 10 attached to the base layer 9, a cutout 11 for the toilet base and the pull tab 13. In this design, the toilet hugger 1 does not wrap around the backside of the base of the toilet, but rather stops partway around the sides of the toilet base similar to existing rug style toilet huggers. Other shapes or patterns of the disposable toilet hugger are considered part and parcel to the description included herein and are considered to be part of the scope of the invention and disclosure.
FIG. 4 depicts a side planar view of the disposable toilet hugger 1. As depicted, there are a plurality of individual disposable toilet huggers attached vertically on top of each other as indicated by the multiple non-porous base layers 9 and absorbent materials 10. The number of toilet huggers in a given stack would depend upon the thickness of the base layers and absorbent materials so as not to create an unaesthetic appearance.
In use, a user would place the disposable toilet hugger 1 stack around the base of the toilet 2. If and when the top level disposable toilet hugger becomes soiled with water condensation, urine or other contaminants, the user grabs the pull tab 13 on the disposable toilet hugger 1 and peels the top soiled toilet hugger 1 away from the remaining toilet hugger stack, thereby revealing an unsoiled disposable toilet hugger 1, and disposes of the soiled toilet hugger 1.
Although the present invention has been described with the respects for a disposable toilet hugger, the claimed invention may be easily adapted for any area that comes into sporadic or intermittent contamination from a liquid source such as a cleaning area or food preparation area. Further, although this invention has been shown and described with respect to the detailed embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail thereof may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A disposable toilet bowl floor mat comprising:

a non-porous backing and an absorbent material mounted to the top of said non-porous backing.

2. The disposable mat of claim 1 wherein said absorbent material is colored for an esthetic appearance.

3. The disposable mat of claim 1 wherein said absorbent material is textured.

4. The disposable mat of claim 1 wherein said absorbent material is formed of materials selected from the group of materials consisting of absorbent paper, absorbent cotton and absorbent cloth.

5. The disposable mat of claim 1 wherein said non-porous backing is formed of materials selected from the group of materials consisting of flexible plastic, rubber and wax paper.

6. The disposable mat of claim 1 wherein said mat wraps around the backside of a toilet.

7. The disposable mat of claim 1 wherein said map wraps halfway around the base of a toilet.

8. The disposable mat of claim 1 wherein said absorbent material includes a deodorizing agent.

9. The disposable mat of claim 1 wherein said absorbent material includes a disinfecting agent.

10. The disposable mat of any one of claims 1 through 9 wherein there are a plurality of said mats stacked one on top of each other such that a user places a stack of said mats around a base of a toilet, the top mat of said stack absorbing any liquid falling on the top of said top mat and not passing through to the second layer of said stack of mats, said user removing said top mat of said stack when said top mat becomes contaminated with said liquid and disposing of said top mat thereby leaving a new and unused top mat around said toilet base.

11. A means for keeping the area at the base of a toilet clean and sanitary comprising:

placing a stack of disposable toilet mats around the base of said toilet;

a single said toilet mat consisting of a non-porous backing and an absorbent top layer material;

a means for removing the top toilet mat from said toilet mat stack when said top toilet mat becomes soiled thereby exposing an unsoiled top toilet mat around the base of said toilet; and disposing of said soiled toilet mat.

12. The means for keeping the area at the base of a toilet clean and sanitary according to claim 11 wherein said absorbent material is colored for an esthetic appearance.

13. The means for keeping the area at the base of a toilet clean and sanitary according to claim 11 wherein said absorbent material is textured.

14. The means for keeping the area at the base of a toilet clean and sanitary according to claim 11 wherein said absorbent material is formed of materials selected from the group of materials consisting of absorbent paper, absorbent cotton and absorbent cloth.

15. The means for keeping the area at the base of a toilet clean and sanitary according to claim 11 wherein said non-porous backing is formed of materials selected from the group of materials consisting of flexible plastic, rubber and wax paper.

16. The means for keeping the area at the base of a toilet clean and sanitary according to claim 11 wherein said mat wraps around the backside of said toilet.

17. The means for keeping the area at the base of a toilet clean and sanitary according to claim 11 wherein said map wraps halfway around the base of said toilet.

18. The means for keeping the area at the base of a toilet clean and sanitary according to claim 11 wherein said absorbent material includes a means for keeping said toilet mats deodorized.

19. The means for keeping the area at the base of a toilet clean and sanitary according to claim 11 wherein said absorbent material includes a means for keeping said toilet mats disinfected.